Hyper City Chronicles: The Fae of the Tower
A side story to "Wake Up and Start!" by Dusk Celeste and "Under DMN" by Dark Celeste
Part of the Animal HRT universe
This story takes place 2 years before "Wake Up and Start!" Chapter: Restart
The Hyper City Magic Commission. Corrupt and terrible thieves of magic. They deal with magic related incidents in Hyper City. They monitor magical happenings and have record of every magic user in the city under Hyper City Law. They are known to use devices and magic they don't fully understand "given" to them by the real magic users of the city. There is almost no magic they won't steal for themselves and use to try to stay in power.
But even they have 1 major rule:
"Never mess with the Fae."
The Fae have a contract going on with Hyper City. They are allowed to roam, and will not mess with anyone as long as no one messes with them. As part of the contract the Fae moved into the forest outside the city and the city does its best to try to keep them from wanting to go in, effectively kicking them out. This however, was not enough.
The reason the magic commission will not mess with them doesn't actually relate to the contract. But Fae magic is too wild for them to use, and too unpredictable for them to plan around. In short… They can't steal it. And they can't fight it.
This is perfect for the our current resident Fae. Nova. (They/It/Fae)
Nova is a small, fairy-like Fae, primarily orange in color, a simple suit on its body, hair, feet, and hands the color of autumn leaves and crystals all over its body leaving ivy-like markings everywhere. Providing fae some extra energy.
Nova was easily bored and wandered into the city, looking for anything interesting. It wandered for a while until fae grew bored looking.
"There's nothing here for me so long as that contract is in play. Honestly was kind of hoping someone would cross me path." Nova scowled. Fed up with the boredom and needing something to do. They began to fly around more until it came across something that definitely peaked their interest.
They came across a tower sitting in one of the forests in the city, nearby a park. This tower was tall, round at the base that sat beside a fenced in garden. Atop the tower was a tiled roof in the shape of a massive witch hat. A door with a bird shaped skull knocker and a sign with a witch silhouette on a sign by it.
"Ah! Now that seems interesting! Wonder what's in that!"
A second look over the tower shows the Magic Sensitive Nova there are protective wards there. But the protection only judges intent. Of which Nova didn't have any actual intent showing up here other than its own curiosity. As such they began to head inside.
Initially trying the door, the door seemed to heavy for the small Fae as the doorknob wouldn't turn and was enchanted to not allow it to be magically opened. Fae then began searching for an opening. Windows shut tight. And a ward that blocks teleportation to the inside without the owner's permission.
"There has to be some way inside. No security is this tight." Nova thought to itself. "Maybe up above." As fae started to fly toward the top. Nova was pretty sure there was a chimney up there. Though was met with disappointment to find it had a shielding ward on the top.
"Gah. It shouldn't be this hard to get into a simple tower. What could be hidden in there?"
Nova was now more determined than ever to enter this mysterious tower. Looking around for any hole in the tower's security. Or someone to trick into opening the door for them. No hole was found and no person for miles. Not wanting to give up, nova sat on the fence near the tower. The sun had begun to set, and there was no sign of anyone in, or out of this. But surely someone had to live here or visit frequently. This garden was way too maintained to be abandoned.
An idea then struck for Nova. It could use an invisibility spell to sit and wait, then run in when the tower owner got home and wait for a chance to snoop around. And so, it flew into the nearby bush where fae began to cast an invisibility spell and wait. The thought of what could be in this tower keeping them occupied until the owner of the tower came home.
20 minutes pass, and as Nova was ready to end the spell and head home, an interesting creature approached the tower. Wasn't the witch nova had expected, but something different. A creature coated in shadows, with long claws and horns made of some sort of energy. It looked tired. This creature proceeded to walk up to the door, and using it's tail, opened the door. This was Nova's chance. It flew through the door, careful not to bump this creature.
Now left with more questions, Nova was inside.
"This creature is the owner of the tower? Something about that doesn't seem right." Nova thought, "Surely this was more some kind of pet, or something."
This is what it thought. Until it started speaking.
"Ugh. This day was so tiring. Not even the mission we were sent on, it was just a busy day in the studio in general. Iris… you think you can get us to bed? I can't stay awake much longer."
"Iris? Who is this creature talking to?" Nova couldn't help but think as it sat and stared at the creature before it.
Without even a second to process it, another voice was heard coming from the creature.
"Yeah. I can get us to bed. But first I am going to relax a bit and unwind. Maybe make myself some snacks."
"Oh! Now things are getting interesting. This creature and this tower have many secrets."
As fae were thinking this, the creature began to change. An unknown flash of light surrounding them, as it stood up, posture changing, form beginning to resemble an adult woman with a generous figure. As the light faded, a witch stood there in the creature's place. A big hat with a skull sat atop her head, pointy ears, a piercing yellow glowing eye peaking through hair now long and fluffy and covering the other eye. She was dressed in a loose long shirt barely hanging from her breasts. Pajamas it would seem. She smiled, a single fang showing through.
"Woah! A shapeshifter! And many in the one body it seems. Ye surprised me, witch. But things keep getting more interesting!"
"Hmm…" The witch made a sound of surprise. "There's another energy here!"
Nova froze in shock. Had it been discovered? That shouldn't be possible They were fully invisible. This spell couldn't be detected by anyone in this city! It SHOULDN'T be able to be detected by anyone in this city! Just what was this witch?
"Come out from there! You! In the corner! Reveal yourself! I don't exactly enjoy when my personal time is interrupted, so you better start talking."
Well, if this witch already knew it was here, then no point in staying hidden. But Nova took a second to compose themself before dispelling the invisibility spell. If anything, this would be an interesting interaction.
"Ye must be a powerful magic user if ye found me using that spell."
"A fae? How did you get in here? Why did you come in here?"
"To answer, I followed ye in here. Or rather, the little creature ye were talking to. Aye, that was interesting trick ye pulled there. As for why I came in, I was just bored and curious what was in here, and let me tell ye, ye did not disappoint. I cannae believe the amount of things I found here already!"
"That's it? Not here on a contract or anything?"
"Aye, there be nae contract, just my own curiosity."
"Interesting. But we are closed right now for any business, and I am getting ready to rest and relaxation. So if you could just move along until tomorrow, maybe?"
"Ah, but where is the fun in that. I have deal for ye, witch."
"I will get the fly swatter…"
"Hear me out. It seems yer heading for more and more interesting things, and I want in. Ye let me stay here, I will help ye in whatever it is yer doin'."
"Tell you what, the tower does need more security-"
"It really doesn't. But go on."
"-And honestly, I really just want to get to relaxing. You promise not to mess with any of my spells, I'll let you stay here. I have been hounded constantly by the Magic Commission. They keep trying to steal my spells, and look for any loophole to arrest us. You stay, you can "play" with them all you want. You seem like the type to like that."
"Ah, altering my deal, but I like the sound of that. Ye got yerself a deal. I'll start my observations tomorrow. I get the feeling I'm almost never going to be bored hanging around ye. Name's Nova, will ye give me yours?"
"No. But I will tell you it. Iris. The creature earlier was Ashe."
"Ah, yer sharp. I like that."
A deal was struck. Nova would help Iris without messing with her, Iris (and the rest in her body) would let Nova do whatever fae wanted within reason. They did have to have a discussion with them about a little too much mischief it was getting into. But Nova was right. Not a day went by of it being bored. But even still, it wanted to keep itself busy. Fae took up a little machine making and construct making as a hobby. And took to learning everything it could about the tower owners. How many were in there, their entire history, and even befriending a fae they were hiding inside themselves that was in charge of organization and memory sorting. These people got more and more interesting the more Nova learned of them. And it just didn't stop!
But one day months later, Ashe brought home something rather unexpected.
Currently in a human form as it seems they run on caffeine after a lab accident, and were currently out of any…
"Hey Nova. We're home. We brought someone. Poor thing was found in a dangerous spot away from the portal. Almost as soon as we approached him they hatched from the egg they were in."
"Ah let's see what ye brought… what is that!?"
"I call him Nero. He's a chao, from a game series called sonic the hedgehog. Basically, came out of the digital worlds and I'm keeping it."
Nova just stared at the small creature placed in front of it. Eyes fixated on it. Nero ran up to Nova, curious. Before letting out a small happy noise and giving Nova a hug.
Nova didn't know what to make of it. It has never been shown this level of affection, but… something was stirring inside them. Something clicked and Nova suddenly looks at Nero, returns the hug and says "I claim this. This is mine. This is my child."
"I won't let anything hurt this baby."
Nova was instantly attached to the small chao. Taking care of him and raising him. And keeping them out of the reach of the Magic Commission. And a while later, watched it grow into an adult chao. And would be the first of Nova's children down the line, as any construct Nova would make fae would treat them no different than Nero and care for them as their own child. This is still the case to this day.
This began the path of the Fae that now lives in Iris' tower. Much to the dismay of the Magic Commission. No one ever knows what fae are working on in the tower, but it always has plans for its next moment of fun.
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This one is an Origin story for our headmate Nova, who in the world of Hyper City is actually its own separate entity. This story taking place 2 years before Wake Up: Restart means it wasn't a mistake to use Dusk's old name in the end as Dusk had yet to rename itself at this point.
Ft. @darkmagenugget and @iristhedarkwitch and Nova and Nero.
Read more of my stories here:
Hyper City Chronicles Masterpost